Balancing
by Emmaya
Summary: Fire Nation's customs were very different than the Earth Kingdom's... But Zuko realizes that is why it works. His musings of past and current relationships.


**My first Avatar: The Last Airbender fic!**

**This, obviously, is a Toko piece. Please enjoy and Review! I really appreciate it!**

* * *

****Balancing

Fire was often described as uncontrollable, rash, quick, and passionate.

In fact, the Fire Nation's history, culture, and people had fire running through its veins.

Their food was hot and spicy. Their clothes were red, gold, and black. Their personalities angry, passionate, and unstoppable.

No aspect of society was saved from this.

Their dances were flashy and provocative and done with as little clothes as appropriate.

Their children were raised with mock Agni Kai's that were performed with little boy's fists instead of fire. But boys had to grow up and fire was always used eventually.

Their relationships were, more often than not, fast paced and passionate, ending quickly and loudly. Only a special few married once, or ended up marrying the one they lost their innocence to.

It was a way of life, and Zuko was the epitome of Fire Nation.

Zuko's first kiss was with a girl in the fire academy that he couldn't even remember the name of. He was 10. She was tall, like his mother, and had short brown hair. He thought she was pretty. So, he just leaned over to her and kissed her in the middle of the schoolyard. He thought she was cute when she blushed.

He had seen his mom and dad kiss once, when they were happier. He wanted to see what it felt like. But afterwards, he just thought it was weird.

He also remembered the first time Azula was kissed by a boy that was much older than her. She was 9 years old and malicious and cruel, but this new side of life surprised her.

It was right after their father was crowned and a nobleman came to stay at the palace with his 13 year old son. Zuko and Azula had been in the gardens when he came up to his sister and called her something she was and will never be called again.

He called her beautiful.

Zuko could tell right then as she blushed that she took a liking to him. Soon enough, they were in the gardens again and the 13 year old leaned over and kissed his sister fully on the lips.

But, then again, this is Azula and she felt betrayed by this abrupt motion without asking her permission so she told their father. The boy was never seen again.

Zuko knew she was too young to understand what this thing called love was, and she never will.

Years went by, he had kissed many other nameless girls by then, and he finally got together with Mai. Like most relationships, they got together quickly and made love for the first time within two weeks of being together. Mai was 15 and he was 16. By Fire Nation standards, this was rather normal.

However, Zuko later realized this was a point where he really became mature. Kisses were not weird anymore, they were amazing. Girls were not crazy, but beautiful and something that he wanted to be around more and more.

After becoming a traitor and gaining the respect of the Gaang, more often he found himself looking at Katara. He always knew she was pretty, but at that point, to him, she was drop-dead gorgeous. He never told Aang, but Sokka and Toph noticed and teased him to no end.

He thought it started after their little 'vacation' because he saw what she did to that soldier and couldn't help but think about how powerful their kids could be.

But his little crush on her was gone before he realized what he felt.

The war was over and peace ruled. He returned to Mai, Aang and Katara got together, Sokka and Suki stayed together, and Toph lived with Iroh in his tea shop.

But that personal peace didn't last long. While his friends' relationships grew stronger, his grew weaker. Zuko and Mai were both getting bored with each other. She started seeking the comforts of other people, while he grew sick with rage. Why could all his other friends be happy and he be so upset and confused? When he found out about Mai's affair, she left the Fire Nation capital to live with her new boyfriend.

Iroh offered a vacation to come stay with him at his tea shop. Zuko accepted.

He had forgotten that Toph was working in the tea shop, so he was surprised to see a now 16 year old beautiful woman with long black hair and a ridiculous grin below her milky green eyes.

Also, Iroh expected him to share a room with this unfamiliar woman.

As the weeks wore on, he realized Toph was still the same. Still a blind, powerful, and sarcastic earthbender.

But it was growing harder and harder for him to get to sleep as he couldn't help but gaze at her body in the next bed. All he had to do was get up, walk a few steps, fling the blankets off and he could have her.

To distract himself at night, he would talk to her until he was exhausted enough for his mind not to wander. They talked about Aang, Katara, Sokka, and all the adventures they went on. They would talk of Iroh and the peaceful four nations. Sometimes he would talk about his Fire Lord duties, but in the middle of the conversation he would often hear her heavy breathing meaning she was asleep.

As they talked, she started to open up more and more. She talked about how much she wished to see. She wanted to see the Earth, the animals, Iroh, the tea shop, herself, and him. She sometimes asked what some things looked like, what color they were, even though she wouldn't understand.

One night, that fateful night, she asked what she looked like. He told her. She was beautiful, her body, her face, her hair, her eyes, and her soul.

He heard her get up from her bed and walk closer until she straddled his waist in nothing but her nightgown. She reached for his face and felt his scar. He held her hand to his cheek for a moment but said that he was not worthy of her touch, after all the things he has done.

She whispered that she would just have to prove him wrong.

They made love that night, catching an unsuspecting Iroh by surprise the next morning to find his nephew and his young tea maker, naked and pressed up together, in the same bed.

They talked many more times after that, after she moved to the palace and they had gotten married.

Zuko later realized that Earthbender's were very different then Firebender's.

Toph couldn't stand spicy food, while he couldn't live without it.

She would rather wear a gown (and she hated gowns) than a revealing bathing suit, while he would savor being able to wear only shorts.

Her people were stubborn, focused, stable, and never moving. His were flashy, angry, indecisive, and flexible.

She was hard where he was soft, while he was fiery where she was not.

Zuko realized that was why they were perfect for each other.

Let's just say Earthbender's usually only marry once, and he was perfectly fine with that.

* * *

**Thanks and please review!**


End file.
